Man Kills 3 in India, Holds Children Hostage: Accused and Son Dead After 7-Hour Police Siege

In a shocking incident at Sambhuganj village in Uttar Pradesh’s Azamgarh district, a man allegedly shot dead his wife and two priests before holding his three minor children hostage inside his residence. Following a tense seven-hour police standoff and encounter, the accused, Mr. Arvind Singh (40), and his eight-year-old son, Mr. Shaurya, lost their lives. However, police managed to safely rescue his two daughters, aged 10 years and 11 months, without harming them.

According to police sources, the incident occurred on Tuesday evening when Mr. Arvind Singh’s mother organized a religious ritual at their home for the peace of her late son’s soul. Arvind had strongly opposed the ritual as well as the presence of the priests. Returning home during the ceremony, he demanded identification from the priests and got into a heated argument. In a fit of rage, he opened fire indiscriminately, killing his wife Ms. Babita (32) and the two priests on the spot.

Following the killings, Mr. Arvind locked himself inside the house along with his three children. Upon receiving information, police personnel, ATS commandos, and senior officials arrived at the scene and urged him to surrender. During the marathon seven-hour negotiation, police repeatedly appealed to him to release the children and step out, but he refused to comply.

Late into the night, hearing gunshots from inside the room, police launched an immediate tactical rescue operation. Using tear gas and stun grenades, forces breached the door, whereupon Mr. Arvind fired at the police team, prompting retaliatory fire. Police claimed that the eight-year-old boy, Mr. Shaurya, sustained critical injuries from a bullet fired by Mr. Arvind himself. Mr. Arvind and Mr. Shaurya were rushed to the district hospital in critical condition, where doctors declared them dead on arrival. Police successfully rescued Mr. Arvind’s 10-year-old daughter, Ms. Pori, and 11-month-old infant, Ms. Sanvi, handing them over safely to their relatives. The tragic event has left the entire locality gripped by grief and terror.